Storms could push finish of Arnold Palmer Invitational to Monday

Inclement weather may be able to do something Tiger Woods’ peers on the PGA Tour seem incapable of doing right now: Slow Woods’ return to the top spot in the world golf rankings.

Woods holds a two-shot lead heading into the final round, a position from which he has been all but unbeatable over the course of his career. Of the 55 times Woods has held a third-round lead, he has gone on to win 51 times. The largest lead he has lost was also two shots, when he was overtaken by Y.E. Yang at the 2009 PGA Championship.

But a cold front currently working its way through the Florida Panhandle is expected to arrive around mid-afternoon, bringing with it storms that could delay play for several hours. That could push the completion of play to Monday morning.

Woods would love to regain his No. 1 ranking _ which he lost back in October 2010, nearly two-and-a-half years ago _ under any circumstances, but spoke earlier this week about how special the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Bay Hill golf course have become to him. He’s won at Bay Hill seven times already, lived for several years in nearby Isleworth, was married to Elin Nordegren while he lived there and the couple had both their children at Winnie Palmer Hospital.

Anyone overtaking him, as Yang did nearly four years ago, would be a surprise, but none of the three players tied for second _ Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose and John Huh _ seems a likely candidate. Fowler shot an 84 the first and only time he was paired with Woods in the final round, last year at the Memorial Tournament, where Woods shot 67 and won. Rose struggled to an even-par 72 Saturday and seems to have lost the swing and rhythm that got him at least a share of the lead the first two days. And Huh has won only once on Tour, that being last year in a satellite event in Puerto Rico that was played opposite the Cadillac Championship.

Whether or not he gets the win that would push him ahead of the idle Rory McIlroy into the No. 1 spot in the world rankings, Woods is assured of passing Ernie Els for most weeks in the top 10 at 789. Woods had a record run of 736 weeks in the top 10 from April 13, 1997 to May 15, 2011, and returned on March 25, 2012, where he has since remained.